Swirl Descent
by ccpopstar
Summary: Kaien, Kukaku, Ganju, and their parents, are all that is left of the noble Shiba clan. When tragedy strikes, and the children are banished from Seireitei, how will they survive in Rukongai? This is the story of the Shiba siblings.
1. Start to the Finish

3-24-07

A/N: Hello! I am here once again to start a new story! This time I'm using my creativity skills to write about…you may have guessed it, the Shiba family! Yes, this story is all about Kaien, Kukaku, and Ganju Shiba before they met Ichigo Kurosaki.

I don't know when I'll be able to post the next chapter, as I am in stage crew and must stay after school till late at night for musical practice. Hopefully this will tide you over until I am able to update! Thank you for your time, now on to the story! Read & Review, please!

Swirl Descent

Chapter One: Start to the Finish 

"Kaien."

"Kaien, you have to wake up."

"Kaien…"

A powerful smack met Kaien Shiba's face as his father woke him up.

"What the hell dad!" Kaien screamed as he rubbed the side of his face while sitting up in his bed.

Nobu Shiba beamed down at his son. His short graying hair matched Kaien's and his warm dark brown eyes sparkled with joy. Kaien simply glared death at his old man.

"I just felt like waking you up before I go off to work!" He smiled again. Kaien's eyes dilated.

"What the hell!" Kaien jumped at his father and attempted to punch him. Nobu smiled and dodged every failing attempt to knock him senseless.

"Now, now Kaien, you should get used to waking up so early now, it's almost time for you to leave regular school and go into the official shinigami academy!"

Kaien stopped suddenly. He glared at his father then passed him on his way to the kitchen.

As he entered the large dining area he noticed his mother cooking breakfast. Tears of joy ran down his face. His mother's cooking was the best in all of Seireitei!

Shizuka Shiba looked over her shoulder to see her oldest son drooling. She flipped her long black hair over her shoulder, as she looked him over with sea-green eyes that matched his. She batted the infamous eyelashes that every Shiba in their household possessed.

"Did your father wake you up early, Kaien?" His mother asked carefully. He snapped out of his drooling faze and looked over at her.

"Yeah. Next time, tell him I'll kill him if he ever does that again!" He angrily stated as he sat himself down to wait for breakfast.

"He'll probably do it every day when you start going to the shinigami academy." She hummed a tune. He rolled his eyes as she planted a full plate of food before him. He said a word of thanks and then immediately stuffed his face full of food.

"Geez, Kaien, don't take your time."

Kaien stopped eating to look over at his little sister. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with both of her tiny hands.

"Hurry up, or there won't be any food left Ganju!" Kukaku yelled back down the hallway to their bedrooms. The young boy desperately ran down the hallway gasping for air. He arrived and ran to his mother's side, anxiously pulling on his mother's skirt. Shizuka plucked the tiny boy off the ground and hugged him in her dainty arms.

"Stop being a momma's boy, Ganju!" Kukaku said as she sat herself down next to her older brother. She too dug into the amazing pile of food for breakfast just like how her brother had done.

Their mother set Ganju back on his feet as she turned to the two.

"I almost forgot! You two need to take care of yourselves today! Your father and I are going to go out to Rukongai today."

"What for?" Kaien asked curiously.

"We're looking for a great spot to have a family vacation!" She smiled as the three children cheered with excitement.

Nobu entered the kitchen and noted his children celebrating.

"You told them the news already?" He asked with a half-smile and kissed his wife on the cheek.

"Yes, now we can go!" She smiled also.

"You three be good while we're gone! I'll have our maid Tokio look after Ganju. Kaien, Kukaku, don't get into trouble!" Their father ordered as he and their mother left the house early that morning.

The three children sat in silence.

"Yeah! No parents! Ganju! We can do whatever we want!" Kukaku screamed like a child as she swung her poor little brother around by the arms.

"Kukaku, you heard dad. Just don't get into trouble." Kaien restated as he rose from his seat.

"Where are you going?" Ganju spoke with a finger to his lips in wonder.

Kaien smiled and ruffled Ganju's hair.

"I'm going to go hang out with a few friends, you be good to Tokio, y'hear?" Kaien changed his clothes and left the house.

Kukaku turned to her little brother.

"Want me to tell you a story until Tokio gets here?" She asked. Ganju clapped his hands together excitedly.

"Okay! How about the one with the fireworks in it! Or what about the dragons?" She asked with a sparkle in her eye. Those had been her favorite stories as a child. Ganju shook his head with a sick look on his face.

"I want to hear the one about the Shiba's!" He stated. Kukaku rolled her eyes.

"But I tell that one to you all the time!" She groaned. Ganju stood his ground and she let a sigh escape her lips.

"Fine! Dad told this story to me, and dad knows everything so this story is 100 true! Once upon the time, about eleventy hundred years or so, there once was a noble clan called the Shiba!"

"Yay, Shiba!" Ganju yelled.

"The Shiba were a great and mighty noble clan of Seireitei. They protected the city from intruders day and night and were the most courageous of fighters! Unfortunately, the Shiba were so brave that they got into too many fights, and the clan started dying off of members. Eventually, all that remained of the Shiba clan was us! But that's okay, 'cuz one day, all of us will get married and the Shiba clan will revive with us, our children, and our children's children!"

"Hurray!" Ganju clapped as the story ended. Kukaku smiled and patted Ganju's head with her hand. She listened to the footsteps of their maid entering the house and then smiled.

"That's all for today, Ganju! I'm gonna go head off to play with Yoruichi and Byaku-bo! Catch ya later!" Kukaku waved goodbye as she left also.

Ganju stared at his sister's disappearing form. Suddenly an older woman picked him up. It was Tokio, the Shiba houses' only maid.

"Ready for a bath, Ganju?" She asked with a smile.

"Nooooooo!!!!" Ganju's screams went unnoticed as Tokio led him along with a firm grip.

Away from the house was Kukaku. She was hanging out with her best friends from the other noble houses. They were Yoruichi Shihouen and Byakuya Kuchiki. The three were known as the pranksters of soul society, but Byakuya was usually the one to get them out of trouble.

Kaien, on the other hand, was out training with a bokuto. He was anxiously awaiting the day he would be accepted into the academy. He could've entered sooner, but his parents wanted him to wait until he was mature enough.

Several hours later, Kaien and Kukaku returned home, greeted by Ganju standing at the front of their small estate, compared to all the other noble houses that is. Tokio was allowed to leave by Kaien's permission and he strolled on into the house. Their parents had not returned home yet and all their tummies were growling so Kaien forced himself to make supper.

As the three finished eating their meal a sharp loud knock came at the front door.

Kaien stood, followed by his siblings, and walked over to the front of their house. He slid the door open and saw a kneeling messenger with several shinigami. He looked at their faces. All of them looked grim.

"May I help you?" Kaien spoke outright.

The messenger looked up into Kaien's face with anticipation and stood to read the message held in his hands.

"From Captain Yamamoto Genryusai of 1st Company. We regret to inform the noble house of Shiba that, approximately three hours ago, Nobu and Shizuka Shiba were killed in the line of duty whilst patrolling in the Rukon district by a fiendish hollow attack. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the loved ones' family."

The messenger stood and left promptly while the colleagues of Kaien's father bowed with their apologies as well.

Kukaku let out a high-pitched scream. In an almost inhuman way she latched onto Kaien's waist with both arms and held him tightly. Ganju also started wailing as he grabbed his brother's leg. Kaien fell to his knees and the three siblings held each other in their sorrow.

"Why? Why?" Kukaku sniffed as she kept chanting the question that no one could answer.

"Mommy! Mommy, where are you?" Ganju screamed. His lungs were ready to give out.

"No…" Kaien moaned as hot tears fell down his cheeks. This was the worst thing that could've possibly happened.

"Kaien." One of his father's friends called his name. He held out his father's zanpakuto. Kaien reached out to grab it whilst sniffing. He held it close to his heart. It was his father's prized possession and his last memento.

All the noble houses had been informed. Yoruichi and Byakuya, along with both their families' immediately rushed over to the Shiba estate.

"Kukaku?" Yoruichi quietly spoke as she ran up the steps to comfort her best friend. Byakuya followed and let Ganju sob into his noble robes.

Byakuya's father walked up the stairs and placed a comforting hand on Kaien's unsteady shoulder.

"We will cover the costs for the funeral, Kaien. I am truly sorry for your loss." The old Kuchiki head spoke as he then released his hold on Kaien and took his son away back to their home.

"Don't worry, Kukaku! I'll do something! You can't live like this anymore, that's for sure!" Yoruichi said as she comforted her friend. Kukaku nodded and gulped as she tried to wipe away her tears. She croaked out a goodbye as she watched her friend leave.

The crowd died away and still the remaining Shiba's stood still upon their front porch.

"Kaien? What do we do now?" Kukaku spoke out all of a sudden. Ganju had fallen asleep from wearing himself out with all the crying. Kaien held him in his lap.

"I don't know, Kukaku."

"What are we going to do without mom…or dad?" Kukaku spoke as her eyes welled up with more tears. She sniffed and started to sob into her knees once again while hugging herself.

"I don't know." Kaien spoke wearily. All he knew was that things would be changing rapidly around them now.

The funeral was held the next day. As promised, the Kuchiki family had paid for all the expenses. Kaien, Kukaku, and Ganju did not say one word that day. Their parent's bodies were buried closed casket, because of the horrible wounds inflicted upon them. Every person paid their respects and then left.

Tokio regrettably announced to the children that she could no longer work for them any more. She needed the money, and the Shiba children had no way to pay her without any income now. Kaien could not join the academy and expect to be able to earn any money. Kukaku was not even in her teenage years, and Ganju needed looking after as well.

One week later, the whole Shiba family was to appear before one of the captain's. It was their father's captain in the 13th division, Ukitake Jyuushiro. The blonde haired man smiled sadly at the three as they walked into his large office.

"I am sorry for your loss, children. But we must all lose something in our lives. Unfortunately for you, it was your parents. I am sorry to inform you that there is more bad news to bestow upon you."

Kaien looked up. The captain stared into his eyes. Nothing could faze these children any more than their parents' death.

"The Shiba clan is from this day forward no longer one of the noble houses of Seireitei. You children are now no longer nobility and must return to Rukongai."

"What!?" Kukaku stood angrily. Kaien looked angry as well, but he held a hand around Ganju as the boy started to cry.

"What is the meaning of this? Can't we stay with another family? We've already had offers from both the Shihouen's and the Kuchiki's!" Kaien shouted. Ukitake stared down at the boy with a cold look in his eyes.

"I'm afraid it was a Central 46 Chamber room decision. If you want to have it repealed, then you'll have to have a lot of money to take it up with the court."

Kaien knew that no one dared defy the Chamber of 46's rulings. He bit his lip in anger and drew blood.

"Thank you." Kaien bowed and Kukaku looked shocked as she watched her brother be submissive.

"But Kaien-" She started.

"Shut up, Kukaku." Kaien shouted down at her. She looked frightened and started to cry silent tears.

"We'll leave as soon as possible." Kaien bowed again.

"You are permitted to take any belongings you can carry." Ukitake mentioned for the family's own sake. Kaien nodded and set off holding both his siblings' hands.

The family stood before their house hours later. Each carried a small pack of food, along with Ganju's teddy bear. Kaien held his father's zanpakuto and then turned around to march off toward the west gate.

A random shinigami had the gate gigantic gate lifted and Kaien started off marching toward his new home in west Rukongai.

"Kukaku!" A high voice cried. Kukaku turned and was suddenly hugged by Yoruichi. Her friend held her tightly in her slender arms. Tears slid down her face and Kukaku started to cry too.

"I begged for you to stay!" Yoruichi admitted.

"I know you would have." Kukaku sniffed.

"I don't want you to go!" Yoruichi cried.

"I don't want to go either!" Kukaku cried as well.

The two sobbed on the other's shoulders. As the tears subsided they parted holding each other's hands. The two knew that they would probably not be able to see each other for a very long time.

Suddenly, Yoruichi held out a silver bracelet with the Shihouen symbol on it.

"I want you to keep it. To remember me bye."

"I'll keep it forever!" Kukaku cried as she hugged her best friend one last time.

As the gate closed behind them, Kukaku looked back to see Yoruichi waving her arms.

"I promise to see you again!" She heard the cry of her friend.

"Me too."

"Come on, Kukaku. We have a long way ahead of us." Kaien called back over his shoulder.

Kukaku ran to catch up to her brothers'.

The sun dimmed as night overtook the banished noble family. A new life would await them in the coming days.

A/N: Well, that's all for the first chapter! Love it, hate it? Then review! Thanks for reading! I'll post the next chapter after I'm done with all this stage crew work! I promise! Until next time!

"


	2. Demon Brothers

A/N: First off, I'd like to apologize to my readers. I haven't updated for so long because I was involved in the school musical and then I had the SATs just now. So I hope you'll forgive me!

That aside! I hope you will enjoy chapter 2 of Swirl Descent! Please read and review! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 2 

"Brother, I'm tired."

A few minutes later, "Brother, I'm really hungry"

"Broth-"

"Kukaku, will you keep quiet!?" Kaien shouted, fed up with his sister's complaints.

The Shiba children had been traveling for the past three days. Nearly all their food was gone, and they had no money with which to buy some more. The forest they had been walking through for entire morning was beginning to bore the older boy. Kaien squinted his eyes to see if he could see anything in the distance.

"Brother, why are you getting so mad?" Kukaku asked. She was tired and hungry and wanted to rest her poor sandaled feet. She looked over to see a sleeping Ganju on Kaien's back. Drool was sliding down his chin and Kukaku stuck her tongue out at him for being so lucky to be able to sleep.

After their parent's death, the children had been banished from Seireitei. They were no longer protected under the noble code and therefore had no say in the decision of the Central Chamber of 46.

Kaien stopped suddenly. Kukaku collided into him.

"Ow! Idiot! Why'd you stop, Kaien!?" Kukaku groaned as she rubbed her forehead. She looked up and saw a beaming grin take over her brother's face. She looked forward and her eyes lit up.

"Civilization at last!" Kaien cried. He raised his hands into the air, nearly dropping Ganju in the process. The family ran to the huge village that waited before them. Within Rukongai, there were many desolate villages full of unhappy people and foreboding loiterers. But there were villages that actually seemed like cities themselves. Not as grand as the towering buildings of their old home, the villages were very widespread and a gathering place for information and most of all, FOOD!

Kaien gasped for breath. He looked up and took the entirety of it all in. People were everywhere and he was so happy he could cry. Ganju was already working on that department. The younger boy had woken up and was bawling for something to eat. Kaien rubbed his back.

"Shh. It's okay, Ganju. We're going to get some food, okay? Just give me a little bit longer." The boy stifled his tears as he nodded.

"Now, where to find a job?" Kaien began to walk, and he ended up walking for another hour and another and another. Kukaku and Ganju looked up when the heard the scuffling feet of their older brother return from his search for a job.

"Any luck?" Kukaku asked optimistically.

"Not a single ounce of it." Kaien held his head in shame. No one wanted to hire an inexperienced young teenager. They wanted experience men who could lift and chop and do all sorts of things that Kaien wasn't capable of.

"We're gonna die, aren't we?" Ganju began to cry again.

Kukaku punched the top of his head in frustration. The boy ceased his cries but his eyes were still tearing up.

"We're not going to die. It just may take longer than I thought to get a job." Kaien rubbed the back of his head. He could really use a nap right now.

"Stop! Somebody stop that man! He's stolen my money!" An old woman's shouts were heard. Kaien lifted his head back up and saw a middle-aged goon dashing down the street with a large bag of money within his grasp.

As the man was approaching closer and closer, Kaien stood, grabbing his father's zanpakuto. Just as the man ran past them, Kaien whipped the back of the thief's skull with the sheathed sword. The man fell down out cold. Kukaku proceeded to kick the guy to see if he was dead or not. The man groaned and she yelped and jumped back.

An old woman hobbled up to Kaien as he turned around.

"Did you do that, sonny?" The kind looking woman asked. Kaien nodded his head.

"Thank you so much, young man! You are a hero! Is there anything I can get you? I run the Yashimoto Inn that's famous in these parts."

Kaien looked eager to take the offer, but he didn't want to haggle the old lady.

"No, we're fine. We were just looking for some food and a job around these parts."

"Well, why didn't you say so? I have some food for our 'special guests' with spiritual powers. You all must have them, I suppose? I'll fix you up a meal. I can't do anything about a job though. I've hired all the help I need."

"The food will be enough, ma'am." Kaien smiled and the Shiba family followed the woman back to her large inn.

The food was hot and the drinks were cold. The meal was perfect and Kaien, Kukaku, and Ganju couldn't have been happier.

"Is there anything else I can get for you dears?" The old woman asked with a twinkle in her eye.

Kaien stood up from the table and bowed. "You've done enough. Thank you for the food. We better get going though. We need to find a more permanent residence."

"Oh, are you all newcomers?"

"Yeah, we used to be apart of the Shiba Clan, but we were banished because our parents were killed."

"How awful! Sending poor children out into this horrible world alone? You wait right here."

The old woman went into a back room and quickly returned. She held a small bag.

"I think that should be enough to get you by for sometime. Now take care and don't be a stranger, y'hear?"

Kaien opened the bag to see, a lot of gold coins. He looked back up but the old woman had left for the upstairs of her inn.

"Thank you." Kaien whispered as he and his siblings left the huge inn and traveled into the night air.

The next morning, Kaien was happy for once after being banished from Seireitei. Kukaku was holding Ganju's hand and the two were singing an old childhood song. The wind was warm on his face and as they marched through the field grasses, Kaien felt a bit content with life at that moment.

That is until…

"Stop, travelers!" A booming voice echoed across the fields.

"What the heck was that?" Kukaku scanned the area around them, noticing nothing but trees and birds.

"HAH!"

Two giants jumped out of the tall weedy grasses. The sun beat down on two very masculine male bodies. Two mean stood before them, donning demon masks upon their faces.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Kaien asked incredulously. He had seen enough weirdoes in his lifetime. He didn't need anymore.

"Who are we you ask?" The one more robust one called loudly.

"We are-" The other began.

"The Demon Brothers of Rukongai!" The two posed with great pizzazz. Kukaku clapped and Kaien glared at them.

The two turned back to look at their victims, and then double taked.

"What is this!" The one with the blue mask shouted.

"It seems we've made a mistake my dear younger brother! We were about to rob some poor sniveling brats!" The one in the yellow mask answered.

"We're not poor, you jackasses!" Kukaku ran at them and kicked the blue masked one square in the jaw.

"Ouch!" He cried in pain.

The yellow brother spotted the full pouch in Kaien's belt wrap.

"Oh-ho! It seems you aren't poor brats after all!"

"Shut up!" Kukaku kicked the yellow guy in the 'area' and he squealed in pain as he fell down for the count.

"Take that! I learned the best from my dad!" She shouted in triumph. Ganju toddled over and pinned the yellow brother for the win. As the younger siblings picked on the yellow masked man, Kaien was sizing up his competition. It would take more than a good swift kick to the balls to take this joker down.

"I'll get you for hurting my older brother!" The blue man said as he ran at Kaien with a full fist. Kaien fell on his back to dodge it. He could feel that the man held spiritual energy within that punch and if it had connected he probably wouldn't have still had a head on his shoulders.

The brother raised his arm again and threw it down to the ground where Kaien lay. Kaien brought his father's sword out, still sheathed, to block the attack. He then rolled over as the man's punch left a crater in the earth.

Kaien looked at his sword. The wires connected in his brain.

'Duh! Use the sword, dumbass!'

Kaien unsheathed the blade. It looked like any other sword, but it sparkled in the sunlight. The blue man stood still. Kaien raised the sword before him and charged at the enemy.

Quickly and with ease the blue man stepped back, letting Kaien run past his body and laughed. He gave Kaien a swift kick to butt and Kaien fell face first, avoiding slicing his face with his own blade.

Kaien turned around and was met with a fist at his throat.

"Sorry, kid, but you give me no choice." The fist slid back a few inches and the screaming sound of reiatsu could be heard pouring into his large fist. Kaien was gasping for breath. He was going to die. He was actually going to die.

The fist came flying at him. Kaien's eyes flinched shut.

'I need you Dad!'

BOOM!!! 

The swirling sound of water could be heard. Kaien opened his eyes slowly and saw the blue man lying fifty feet away from him on his back moaning.

Kaien stared at his hand and he was holding a new type of blade. It was a gigantic spear. The beauty of it instilled itself into his heart. Ganju stood up from his attack on the yellow man.

"Daddy's sword!" Ganju shouted in glee. Indeed, it was Nobu Shiba's transformed zanpakuto, Nejibana.

The spear began shrinking back to normal size into a regular blade. Kaien gasped. Had that really just happened?

The blue and yellow men suddenly jumped together and bowed before Kaien's feet. They were obviously shaken.

"We are so sorry shinigami! We did not know you were out traveling! Please! Spare us our lives!" The yellow brother begged as they both bowed on hands and knees.

"We promise to do anything, so long as you don't take our lives!" The blue man cried. Kaien rolled his eyes at their drama. Him, kill them? He was not that kind of guy. But if they were willing to do anything…

"Build me a house and be my servants."

"What?" The two brothers gasped in shock.

"Do you wanna die?" Kaien gave his best impersonation of a demonic face. He prayed they would not see through his bluff. Kaien actually had no idea how his father's sword had been summoned.

Luckily, Kaien was dealing with naive men.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!" The two brothers clutched each other. The promptly stood and bowed, whilst removing their demonic masks. As the stood to tower over Kaien, he noted that they looked very similar and must indeed be brothers.

"So, what are your names?" Kukaku asked abruptly, ready to play with her new servants.

"I am the older brother, Koganehiko." The one with the longer face stated.

"And I am Shiroganehiko, the younger brother." The other one with the square jaw mimicked.

"I'm Kaien, and this is my sister Kukaku, and brother, Ganju. We are part of the Shiba clan."

The brothers gasped in humility and promptly bowed to the siblings again.

"You must mean the famous noble house of Shiba's that worked to help the people of Rukongai!" Shiroganehiko stated.

"Sure…" Kaien agreed. Who knew his parents were famous?

"We loved them! But we heard they were killed-" Koganehiko stopped in midsentence.

The children's faces started to look gloomy.

"Sorry. We'll build you a house and serve under you to honor your wonderful parents!" Both brothers bowed and promptly ran off to go find tools and materials.

In a matter of hours, and much to the Shiba siblings surprise and total amazement that such a feat could be done, the house was built in a matter or hours. It looked more like a mansion then anything. It even possessed a huge banner across the top that read 'SHIBA'.

The family inhabited the home for only about a day, when people from nearby villages started bringing gifts to the household. The two brothers stood guard and the gifts were brought to the young children because their parents really were famous within Rukongai for all their good deeds.

Eventually, the Shiba children were known as the nobles of Rukongai. Kaien was very happy, but he knew that the offerings wouldn't last forever. He knew he needed to get a job very soon. His new acquired servants, also held jobs, and Kukaku was taking charge of making food and keeping the house clean for the time being.

Kaien knew that the only reasonable job that would pay well in the end was that of a shinigami. It was the only way to make money and eat real food for the rest of their lives.

Kaien started training every day to gain complete control over his spiritual powers.

One morning at breakfast with everyone Kaien set down his chopsticks. Everyone else looked at him and knew it was the moment of truth.

"I'm leaving to join the Academy and became a shinigami."

Kukaku slammed her bowl down on the table and stood in anger. She was scowling as mean as she possibly could.

"What do you mean? You idiot! You're going back to the people who threw us out to begin with!?" She screamed at him.

Ganju started crying.

"I don't want you to go, big brother." Ganju bawled. Shiroganehiko wrapped a comforting arm around the young boy.

Kaien stood from the table and lifted a pack that he had prepared the night before without anyone's notice.

"Koganehiko, Shiroganehiko, take care of my brother and sister until I return. If I hear anything happens to them, I will find you and beat you till you're dead."

The brothers nodded in fear. Kaien walked over to his grumbling sister and crying brother.

"I love you guys, never forget that. Don't worry; I'll come back at least once a week to see you! I'm off to the Shinigami Academy. Wish me luck!"

Kukaku, Ganju, and their new guardians watched Kaien as he walked off into the sunrise. He was going to come back a shinigami, or not at all.

THE END 

A/N: So, did you guys like it? Then Review please!!! I appreciate it! In the next chapter, we'll see Kaien at the Shinigami Academy. Will he pass his exams and become a seated member? Or will he fail miserably? Until then! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Bye!


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